1996 Isuzu Trooper Review

Wonder how good the Isuzu Trooper sport/utility is? Just consider that it also is sold as the upscale Acura SLX from Honda's luxury car division.

The $33,900-$38,000 Acura SLX has cosmetic differences such as a different grille and wheels, but that's about it.

Big deal. The sport/utility market is so hot that there is plenty of room for both these mid-size sport/utilities.

It can be argued that the SLX is aimed at a genteel crowd and that the $25,360-$38,500 Trooper, which comes in a variety of models, is for a hard-core sport/utility crowd.

However, the top-line, $38,500 Trooper SE model I recently tested is virtually as posh as the SLX. The SE has items such as leather upholstery, wood trim, power and heated front seats, power sunroof, CD changer--and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, shifter and parking brake.

The SE even has headlight washers and wipers. And, of course, this top-line Trooper is loaded with other equipment, including air conditioning, cruise control and AM/FM/cassette.

Dual air bags and four-wheel anti-lock brakes are among major safety items.

So why not just buy a Trooper SE instead of an Acura SLX? After all, you don't get the SLX with items such as leather upholstery, wood trim and power sunroof unless you order the $38,000 Premium Package model.

Well, the SE does feel like it rides a little stiffer than the SLX I tested last March, but that could have been caused by just a difference in tires. And the SLX carries the upscale Acura name.

Honda and Isuzu just shrug at the situation. Isuzu couldn't care less about the Acura name's snob appeal because it is selling as many Troopers as it can make--and the money it gets from Honda for Troopers is icing on the cake. Honda also sells the Isuzu Rodeo sport/utility as the Honda Passport with no complaints from customers.

Honda is benefitting from a major change to the 1996 Trooper. It's a new four-wheel-drive system that allows engaging or disengaging four-wheel-drive mode on the fly at up to 62 m.p.h.

With the 1995 Trooper, a driver had to stop to shift into four-wheel-drive mode and was forced to stop and back up to fully disengage that system.

Still, the Trooper's part-time system somewhat limits on-road utility in bad weather because it's not designed for four-wheel-drive travel at higher speeds, as is a full-time system.

All 1996 Troopers--and the SLX--have a 190-horsepower V-6; last year one could get the Trooper with a 175- or 190-horsepower V-6. The single-overhead-camshaft, 3.2-liter engine isn't terribly big, considering the hefty, 4,210-pound Trooper's weight. But the smooth, quiet, 24-valve engine provides strong acceleration--even in the critical 65-75 m.p.h. highway passing range.

As with all larger sport/ute vehicles, fuel economy isn't good. The Trooper delivers an EPA-estimated 14 m.p.g. in the city and 18 on the highway. But a large, 21.9-gallon fuel tank allows a long highway cruising range if a driver stays at around 65 m.p.h. and doesn't tromp hard on the gas pedal when, say, passing other vehicles.

Accelerate rather slowly and smoothly in town if you don't want to spend lots of time at service stations.

The quiet Trooper has a stable highway ride, and the smooth automatic transmission downshifts quickly for passing. While the Trooper has a sophisticated suspension for a sport/ute, it still is a truck--and its ride gets truck-like on rough surfaces at lower speeds. Still, the ride is far from back-breaking.

The precise-steering Trooper is pretty easy to live with, and its rock-solid structure helps it do well during off-road excursions.

It takes more than average effort to get in and out of this tall Isuzu, but its boxy shape allows an impressive amount of room for four or five tall adults.

Cargo room is excellent, but the side-hinged rear cargo doors aren't as well suited to loading or unloading as a station-wagon-style tailgate or hatch.

The tall vehicle tips a bit in turns, but roadability generally is good. A high seating position and lots of glass area offer superb visibility, while the front bucket seats are especially comfortable.

Drawbacks include climate controls that don't work smoothly and the cruise control's awkward stalk-mounted switch. But the sports/sedan instrumentation, which includes a tachometer, will be appreciated by those who like lots of gauges.

Chances are Trooper SE owners will see plenty of miles on the odometer.